A nice green laptop with some flaws – News Block

The next-generation Aspire Vero 15 (2023) laptop takes Acer’s commitment to sustainability and reducing its carbon footprint to new levels through the use of more recycled materials. When I received my review unit, I wanted to determine if it was also a great laptop.

The Acer Aspire Vero 15 is a very impressive laptop that was recently upgraded with many improved features. One of the most notable updates is the inclusion of 13th Gen Intel Core processors, which come complete with Intel Iris X graphics. This means the device is now even more powerful and responsive than ever before, making it perfect for various tasks, from basic web browsing to more complex video editing.

In addition, the Acer Aspire Vero 15 2023 now features a larger screen surface, which means you can enjoy a more immersive viewing experience when watching movies or playing games. The high-quality 1440p QHD webcam is also a welcome addition, allowing you to video chat with friends and family in crystal clear clarity.

But it’s not just the interior features that have been updated: the Acer Aspire Vero 15 has also been designed to be more environmentally friendly than its predecessor. The device now incorporates more recycled materials and is manufactured using 30% less CO2 emissions. This makes it a great option for anyone who is conscious of their carbon footprint and wants to positively impact the environment.

The trackpad of the new Acer Aspire Vero 15 has also been updated. It is now made from recycled plastic from the ocean. This looks great and helps reduce plastic waste in our oceans, making it a great choice for environmentally conscious consumers.

There are several notable features to highlight, which will be discussed below.

The Design: Go Green

The first thing you’ll notice about the Acer Aspire Vero 15 is its paintless chassis. It’s made with 40% post-consumer recycled (PCR) material, 10% more than the previous model. By design, the chassis reduces the negative impact of volatile organic compounds, or VOCs.

The result is a laptop that has occasional color specs throughout. For example, my review unit in Cyprus Green is a darker green with lighter green specs. There are also Mariana Blue and Cobblestone Gray options; the latter includes yellow and dark gray specifications. I like it. However, I can see how others might find it off-putting and too direct for being an eco-friendly product.

At the bottom of the lid, you’ll find an engraved Acer logo. Plus, you’ll quickly notice an etched inverted “R” at the bottom right when you open the lid.

The notebook comes in versatile, eco-friendly packaging and is made from 100% recycled paper and up to 90% recycled cardboard. The packaging can also double as an ergonomic laptop stand, in a pinch.

Looking for more? The new Acer Aspire Vero 15 also uses standard screws for quick and easy removal for repair, upgrade, or recycling.

touchpad and keyboard

The Acer Aspire Vero 15 laptop is a great choice for the environmentally conscious. This laptop is stylish and functional and is made from recycled materials. Even the touchpad and keyboard are made from recycled ocean-sourced plastic and PCR materials, respectively. The touchpad is smooth, durable, and slightly off-center, giving you plenty of room to rest your wrists. However, some may find the fingerprint reader in the top left corner awkwardly placed, and it may sometimes have a hard time recognizing your fingerprint.

On the other hand, the keyboard is comfortable to use, with a number pad on the right. The backlight is strong enough to be functional without being too bright, and the keys are responsive and quiet. A unique feature of this keyboard is the inverted “R” and “E” keys, which represent the Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle motion. These keys are a subtle reminder for consumers to be more environmentally friendly in their daily lives.

Overall, the Acer Aspire Vero 15 2023 Laptop is a solid choice for anyone who wants a functional and eco-friendly laptop. Whether you’re a student or a professional, this laptop has everything you need to get the job done while doing your part for the planet.

ports

The Acer Aspire Vero 15 offers an above-average number of ports. Two Thunderbolt 4 USB Type-C, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, one HDMI 2.1, DC-in, and one audio jack are included. On the right side, there is also a Kensington lock.

Audio and video: not extraordinary

The laptop has speakers located at the bottom, which work well when listening to music or watching videos. Sound quality is generally good, but when it comes to heavy bass, the sound becomes flat and lacks depth.

Video playback worked well thanks to the integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics. During my testing, I did not experience any instances of video skipping or freezing, whether it was stored internally or accessed via streaming.

Performance: mid-priced workhorse

I was lucky enough to receive a review unit from Acer that features a 13th Gen Intel Core i7-1355U processor with 10 cores, 12 threads, and a 12MB cache. It also came with 16GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 512GB of storage.

After running a series of real-world tests, I can confidently say that the laptop performed remarkably well. I was able to quickly open numerous windows in Google Chrome and no issues were encountered even when using Adobe Photoshop. Given its price, the laptop’s performance was pretty impressive.

Screen and camera: good and bad

The laptop’s matte LCD screen with a resolution of 1920 x 1200 and a refresh rate of 60 Hz is ordinary. However, 300 nit brightness falls short of optimal viewing in all environments. By contrast, the MacBook Air M2 (2023) offers 500 nits. Despite this, the colors are generally satisfactory.

Unfortunately, this seems to have been a consistent theme for some new mid-range laptops this year: colors that pop at poor maximum brightness. It’s what I found on the Lenovo Yoga 7i 16-inch Gen 8 and Lenovo Slim Pro 7.

The Acer Aspire Vero 15 has a top-notch webcam that works exceptionally well in various professional or personal settings. Its 1440p QHD resolution allows the camera to capture even the most intricate facial details that other lower quality cameras can miss. Additionally, this webcam records video at a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels, which is double the resolution of a standard 1080p webcam. All in all, this webcam offers an immersive experience.

The webcam also features Acer PurifiedView and Acer PurifiedVoice with AI noise deduction. The former provides video features like background blur, auto framing, and eye contact. The latter actively suppresses background noise for speakers and listeners for better sound.

As a bonus, the webcam also includes Acer’s Temporal Noise Reduction (TNR) technology, which produces higher quality images even in low light conditions.

Battery Life: Impressive

You can expect up to 12 hours of battery life between charges. It also offers fast charging, so there’s always time to add a few hours when needed. Another benefit is Acer’s built-in VeroSense battery management app. Designed to keep your laptop running longer, the app offers four modes: Performance, Balanced, Eco, and Eco+.

I was able to get my review unit down to 0% twice. The first time, I got 12 hours and 14 minutes of battery life; the second time, 12 hours and 21 minutes.

Should you buy the Acer Aspire Vero 15 (2023)?

Consider the Acer Aspire Vero 15 2023 if you’re looking for a mid-priced eco-friendly option. It’s the most impressive addition to Acer’s Vero product line to date. The laptop boasts eco-friendly components and includes features like a 13th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, an above-average webcam, and a comfortable keyboard.

However, the design may not be to everyone’s taste, particularly the small specs that are noticeable on the chassis. The laptop’s biggest drawback is its brightness, with 300 nits simply not enough for most situations in 2023.

The Acer Aspire Vero 15 is coming in various configurations around the world, with a launch in Europe and China in May 2023 and a debut in North America in June 2023. If it’s not currently available in your area, especially in the Cypress Green version, keep an eye out as it will probably be available soon.